With last year’s season record of 13-9, the boy’s baseball team hopes to continue its success with the addition of a fourth team while competing in the Metro West conference.

Head coach Jim Nunn said switching to a new conference will be difficult since the opposition will be harder to beat.

“It is a little different, because there’s an unknown this year going into a new conference,” Nunn said. “It’s going to be a tougher conference, so if we go out and play consistent baseball in a new conference, it will help us get ready for playoffs.”

Senior captain Joey Jaramillo said the increase in players will help to create a stronger baseball program and improve overall performance.

“Last year we didn’t have enough players to make four competitive teams so we needed to cut some players, which was unfortunate,” Jaramillo said. “I think this year we will have more kids coming to try out, so we should be able to get four strong teams this spring.”

Jaramillo said having a new team will benefit younger players who did not get the chance to compete last year.

“I think it is a good thing so the younger kids don’t have to sit out a year because they didn’t make a team, and now they get to play and get better,” Jaramillo said.

Nunn said having more players will give the coaches a better selection during tryouts.

“I think it will be great having more kids playing,” Nunn said. “There will be more to choose from.”

Tryouts begin March 16. The first varsity game is at 4:30 p.m. April 7 at Carlson Field versus Bloomington Kennedy.